Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Creator and the Cosmos: How the Latest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God by Hugh Ross ISBN: 1-57683-288-0 Publisher: Navpress Pub. Date: June, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.41 (17 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Not convincing
Comment: I still hold on to some vestige of agnosticism, though I get closer to atheism every day. The more I read apologetics, the more I'm convinced of the weakness of their case.
I will certainly grant that Ross presents a lot of information on how incredible the universe is. This portion of his book is enjoyable and I can recommend it.
Ross, and many others, term our universe as "finely-tuned" and I won't disagree. Yet when one ponders how our universe could be so "finely-tuned", it seems there are two families of explanations for it:
1. Our "finely-tuned" universe came about via purely natural means.
2. A God exists capable of creating such a finely tuned universe.
There are many forms of option 1, such as pure chance, and infinite numbers of universes. And, as there are many religions and denominations, there are also many forms of option 2.
Ross argues that any form of option 1 is just a pure unmeasurable, untestable guess. And you know what? He's 100% correct. We absolutely cannot quantify the probability of any form of option 1. But the problem is, any form of option 2 is just an "escape-hatch" that is absolutely just as unmeasurable and untestable. We can't put God in a test-tube. We can't discover what forces He may have employed to create the universe. We can only just guess.
No one can calculate the probability of either option 1 or 2. Ross tries to show how unlikely any form of 1 is, so that proves it must be 2. But the reverse can also be done; any form of option 2 can be shown to be so unlikely that option 1 must be true.
You say that the universe had to come from somewhere? It couldn't just "be"? So therefore there has to be a God? How come the universe can't just "be" but God doesn't need something to have created Him? Any "problem" that seems to exist in option 1 and therefore requires option 2 doesn't solve said "problem" unless you can explain how God is exempt from the "problem". Saying God just must be exempt from the "problem" is no better answer than saying the "problem" with option 1 must not be a "problem" after all.
So there really isn't any genuine scientific reason to pick option 1 or option 2. So, all we can really do is look at circumstantial evidence and see which option seems more likely. Most people, theists and atheists alike, would expect that if option 2 is true, God would want those He created to know about Him. Maybe not, but it seems like a reasonable guess. And after much reading, I've concluded that the circumstantial evidence for at least the Judeo-Christian God is not compelling.
Ross tries to show how the Bible teachings are consistent with the Big Bang Theory. But he uses only scripture that supports his thesis and conveniently ignores scripture which doesn't. For example, Genesis teaches that God created the Earth first, and even put vegetation on the Earth before creating the sun, moon, and stars! This has utterly no similarity to Big Bang Theory! So Ross ignores it. Also, Genesis teaches that man and all the animals were created as vegetarian and never die. If you accept Big Bang Theory, then you have to accept most science and archeology. Fossils show carnivorous animals and death existed before man came on the scene. Does Ross say anything about this? No of course not.
And what about Bible prophesies that supposedly foretell of Christ? Apologists frequently quote scripture that says, "they pierce my hands and feet" as being a prophecy of Christ. (See Lee Strobel's books.) Actually that scripture is about being attacked by lions and is hardly a convincing crucifixion prophesy! Apologists will point to all the amazing parallels between the OT stories and the Gospels. Once you see that the similarities bear the mark of someone writing an allegorical story intentionally drawing upon the OT for material, then the concept that the OT represents supernatural confirmational prophesies of Christ evaporates. (See Earl Doherty's books for more information on this.)
Take for example C.S. Lewis, who wrote popular allegory intentionally drawing upon the Gospels for his stories. That doesn't make them true. I've read Lewis' _The Great Divorce_, which is about a bus ride from hell to heaven. What if somehow that story became to be believed as historical fact? Someone in 2000 years could argue something like: "We have uncovered evidence that Lewis was a fine, honorable man who we can say with confidence would not try to deceive people. We find that busses were in fact in common use during Lewis' lifetime. Also, there are hundreds of similarities between his story and the Gospels. Clearly, this could not all be coincidence and must be concluded to supernatural confirmation of Lewis' writings. Here, in the year 4000, we might think it odd that God would use an ordinary bus to transport people in the afterlife. But we must conclude that God felt it would lend comfort for those people familiar with busses. Probably God also runs magic carpet rides for those people that would find that more comfortable."
You say I'm being absurd? This is ridiculous? Maybe, but can you really say what I've just said is any more absurd than God used an OT reference to being attacked by lions to prophesize the coming of the Messiah and if you don't believe it, that is the most unforgivable crime punishable by eternal damnation? Is my analogy really more absurd? Really?
So now let's look back at my two options about the origin of the universe. Both I grant seem to be unbelievably unlikely. Yet it seems one must be true. But if option 2 is true, God didn't leave any plausible evidence. So now, which option, 1 or 2, really seems more likely?
Rating: 5
Summary: How they amuse me!
Comment: This book is an outstanding work, one of a series of recent works(last 10-15years) which have revealed the fatal cracks in materialism as a viable philosophy. One can gauge its impact by how it has offended the anti-religious faith of many of the other reviewers. Against all logic they demand that the Strong Anthropic Principle in no way points to the existence of a Creator God. This is patent nonsense, a violation of the most basic principles of science: first observe, and then derive a reasonable theory to explain what you observe. They love to quote Occam's Razor when the facts seem to support them. But, when the evidence turns against them, they abandon Occam and come up with all sorts of complex and highly imaginative explanations for the nature of the Universe. They do this in order to avoid the simplest explanation there is: God did it. BTW, many of the so-called objections of the past reviewers have been handily answereed by Dr. Rodd already at his web sites. The reviewer who thought he had caught the doctor when Ross talks about the trillions of stars that exist, and then goes on to say that God creates only as much as necessary, is in for a huge disappointment. Dr. Ross shines as a brilliant intellect, and this book is one of his finest works.
Rating: 1
Summary: Reply for COBRA123
Comment: First I would like to apologize to the other reviewers. This review as well as COBRA's is suppose to be about books we've read and not about a critique of someone else's review.
First I never said "all-sufficient", I said self-sufficient. And I never said that the author mentions this. I said he failed to to address this theological problem. COBRA's next two questions are somewhat rhetorical if not well though-out. As far as COBRA's last statement in section l. It is quite obvious that since the bible was written by man that as mankind and civilization evolve so will their image of God change. Many an ancient religion has become myth or at best morphed into something very different than what was originally concieved; and at worst become extinct.
In reply to questions in section 2...hmmm, I guess COBRA fell asleep on that one.
And finally in response to COBRA's statement in section 3.
The bible is clear in a number of places concerning those who don't believe in Him by following other beliefs. I'll try to keep this one as consise as possible.
Rev.14:11 The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever...
Matt.13:42 ...there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Mark 9:44 Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Luke16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torment...
Rev.20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was caste into the lake of fire.
Mark3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
My apologies to the other reviewers again. And as for COBRA123, may I suggest you stick with rating books instead of other people's reviews.
I doubt seriously that COBRA gave much thought to "her"or"his" review, as well as spelling; it's never nice to see "rude" ones out there.
 |
Title: The Fingerprint of God by Hugh Ross ISBN: 0883686279 Publisher: Whitaker House Pub. Date: July, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
 |
Title: The Genesis Question: Scientific Advances and the Accuracy of Genesis by Hugh Ross ISBN: 1576832309 Publisher: Navpress Pub. Date: August, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: Beyond the Cosmos: The Extra-Dimensionality of God: What Recent Discoveries in Astrophysics Reveal About the Glory and Love of God by Hugh Ross ISBN: 1576831124 Publisher: Navpress Pub. Date: February, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: Creation and Time: A Biblical and Scientific Perspective on the Creation-Date Controversy by Hugh, Dr. Ross ISBN: 0891097767 Publisher: Navpress Pub. Date: March, 1994 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science & Theology by William A. Dembski, Michael J. Behe ISBN: 0830815813 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 1999 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
